Four new Rochester City Council members are sworn in

Monday afternoon marked the beginning of a new era in Rochester city government, as four new representatives were sworn in to four-year terms on the City Council — capping an election cycle that resulted in a governing body now made up of majority freshman members.

Brooke Carlson, Mark Bransford, Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick and Molly Dennis all shed the ‘council member-elect’ title in a short ceremony held before the first council meeting of 2021. Thanks to the pandemic, the inauguration ceremonies were held without a live audience this year — but through a Zoom meeting, the four new members were sworn in remotely.

In comments after the ceremony, new Council President Brooke Carlson called the moment “surreal,” after losing her father, Dr. David Ahlquist, to ALS just two days prior to her election triumph. Speaking from her father’s longtime home office, Carlson called on the new council to address affordable housing and sustainability as Rochester recovers from the pandemic. 

“We stand on a firm foundation and a rich history in Rochester, with a quality of life matched by few other places,” said Carlson. “We have room to improve, and ensure we do not just recover from the pandemic, but we rebuild a just community where all people have the opportunity to thrive.”

In their comments, the three new council members all noted the challenges ahead in 2021, but largely provided a positive outlook on the years ahead. In her first comments after replacing the retiring Mark Bilderback, new Ward 4 rep Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick pledged to hold Rochester’s other decision-makers accountable and to tackle issues of inequity in the city.

“I embrace this work with a full heart, to help us all become stronger and feel a little prouder of this city we all now call home,” said Kirkpatrick. “Better days are ahead, and we will emerge from the pandemic with greater resolve to create a more equitable and resilient community.”

Molly Dennis, the new representative for Ward 6, noted her support of clean energy, increased mental health resources, and livable wages as cornerstones of her policy goals for her first term in office. Those beliefs, she says, were influenced by the future she wants for her children — which could be translated to the whole city.

“I want to support and amplify the quietest voices, those who are underrepresented, so that no one will be left behind,” said Dennis. “I ran for office because of my children, and I ran because of Rochester’s children — regardless of circumstances of birth — because we all need to succeed together.”

All four new council members added they saw increasing affordable housing options as a top priority for the coming year — although there was no clear consensus on the best way to solve the housing issues plaguing Rochester. Ward 2 representative Mark Bransford made the topic a key issue in his campaign, and he used a portion of his comments to speak to potential solutions.

“The biggest source of inequity is in those who rent versus those who own [housing], which falls along socioeconomic and racial lines,” said Bransford. “Everyone should have equal access to options where they can build and save equity.”

Mayor Kim Norton said she was looking forward to working with the new council members, but pushed the majority of her comments — including her ‘State of the City’ address — to a later date.

Ramp 6 Repairs Approved

In a 7-0 vote without discussion, the Council approved plans to move forward with a $100,000 restoration project for Parking Ramp 6 — a $31.4 million project found to have structural issues mere months after its opening in 2019, preventing the city from moving forward with building eight stories of affordable housing on top of the ramp as originally planned.

The council’s vote allows the City Clerk’s office to search for a construction firm to complete the project; once approved, work would start “as soon as possible in 2021.” City documents call for the repairs, among other things, to focus on sealing cracks in the concrete and improving drainage around the ramp.

Meanwhile, city attorneys are “actively working” on litigation to determine who should be financially responsible for the repairs. If the issues are found to have been caused by design or construction issues, the city will “pursue reimbursement” from the responsible party — either design firm Collaborative Design Group or construction firm Kraus-Anderson.

Isaac Jahns is a Rochester native and a 2019 graduate of the Missouri School of Journalism. He reports on politics, business and music for Med City Beat.

Cover photo: Council President Brooke Carlson is joined by her children as she is sworn in during a virtual ceremony preceding the first council meeting of 2021